Zeman for harder sanctions if Russian invasion of Ukraine proved

published:02.09.2014, 17:06

updated:02.09.2014 17:08

Prague - Czech President Milos Zeman would be for tighter anti-Russian sanctions if it proved that Moscow sent invasion units to eastern Ukraine, but in the opposite case he would be against the sanctions, he told journalists after he visited the Chamber of Deputies today.

He said Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka´s (Social Democrats, CSSD) reserved statement on the sanctions, he made on Sunday, was premature.

"I think that this statement was only to be made if there were an invasion, in which case I would support harder sanctions. If there were no invasion, I would plead for imposing no sanctions and for holding negotiations during which a ceasefire would be signed," Zeman aid.

The Czech Republic has already received a draft proposal of the new sanctions. Sobotka said today the country will have some objections to them. The government will debate the proposal at its meeting on Wednesday.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Andrej Babis (ANO) rather agrees with Sobotka´s stance. The junior government coalition Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) would prefer harder steps in relation to Russia, which also the opposition TOP 09 and the Civic Democrats (ODS) have supported.